Composite nylon and polyester woven fabric

ABSTRACT

A ripstop woven fabric woven from a combination of nylon yarn and polyester yarn. The nylon yarn forms between 40% to 80% of the woven fabric while the polyester yarn forms between 20% to 60% of the finished woven fabric. The fabric may be woven in a ripstop pattern. The face side of the ripstop fabric may be coated with one or more of a durable water repellent (DWR) and silicone coating, while the back side of the ripstop fabric is coated with a polyurethane coating. The ripstop fabric has an uncoated fabric weight range of between 23 and 40 GSM while the ripstop fabric has a coated fabric weight range of between 29 and 50 GSM.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to woven fabrics and more particularly, to a woven fabric made from a combination of nylon and polyester yarns.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Lightweight fabrics for backpacking or lightweight tents, for example, are typically woven from 100% nylon yarns and subsequently coated with a waterproof and/or water repellent finish. Such lightweight fabrics are utilized for backpacking tents and generally weigh less than 50 GSM (grams per square meter). Nylon yarns are the conventional choice because they are lightweight and strong. Although strong, nylon has a tendency to stretch, and the corresponding fabric manufactured from only nylon will sag particularly when wet. This is because nylon, even when treated, does not have the low elongation and absorbency of other yarn materials.

Accordingly, what is needed is a lightweight woven fabric which combines two types of yarn namely nylon and polyester and which when woven together, the finished fabric is more hydrophobic than the prior art woven nylon fabric and does not stretch as much as the prior art woven nylon fabric.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention features a composite woven fabric, comprising a nylon yarn in a predetermined percentage by weight in the composite woven fabric. The nylon yarn is configured for being woven along with at least one other yarn into the composite woven fabric. Also provided is a polyester yarn in a predetermined percentage by weight in the composite woven fabric. The polyester yarn is configured for being woven along with at least the nylon yarn into the composite woven fabric. The nylon yarn and the polyester yarn each exhibit a predetermined denier range and are woven together into a ripstop composite woven fabric.

In one embodiment, both the nylon yarn and the polyester yarn are woven in both warp and weft directions of the composite woven fabric. In another embodiment, the nylon yarn is woven in the warp direction of the composite woven fabric and the polyester yarn is woven in the weft direction of the composite woven fabric.

In one embodiment, the predetermined percentage in the composite woven fabric of the nylon yarn is between 40% to 80% by weight and preferably between 46% and 79% by weight of the finished woven composite fabric while the predetermined percentage in the composite woven fabric of the polyester yarn is between 15% to 65% by weight and more preferably between 21% to 55% by weight of the finished woven composite fabric. The nylon yarn and the polyester yarn in each embodiment each preferably exhibit a predetermined denier range of between 10 D and 50 D.

The ripstop composite woven fabric preferably exhibits a yarn per inch count in the weft direction in a range of between 129 to 169, while the ripstop composite woven fabric exhibits a yarn per inch count in the warp direction in a range of between 223 to 233. The ripstop composite fabric may be woven on one of an air-jet loom, a water-jet loom and a dobby loom, for non-limiting examples only.

In each preferred embodiment, the ripstop composite woven fabric is coated on a face side and a back side of the ripstop composite woven fabric. The face side of the ripstop composite woven fabric is coated with one or more of a durable water repellent (DWR) and silicone coating while the ripstop composite woven fabric may be coated on the back side with a polyurethane coating.

The ripstop fabric has an uncoated fabric weight range of between 23 and 40 GSM and a coated fabric weight range of between 29 and 50 GSM.

In a second preferred embodiment, the invention provides a composite woven fabric comprising nylon yarn in a percentage ranging from 40% to 80% by weight in the woven fabric, and wherein the nylon yarn is configured for being woven along with at least one other yarn into the woven fabric. Also included is a polyester yarn in a percentage ranging from 20% to 60% by weight in the woven fabric. The polyester yarn is configured for being woven along with at least the nylon yarn into the woven fabric. The nylon yarn and the polyester yarn are woven together into a ripstop fabric having a face side and a backside. The face side of the ripstop fabric is coated with one or more of a durable water repellent (DWR) and silicone coating, while the back side of the ripstop fabric is coated with a polyurethane coating. In this embodiment, the nylon yarn and the polyester yarn each exhibit a denier range of between 10 D to 50 D.

The ripstop fabric exhibits a yarn per inch count in the weft direction in a range of between 129 to 169, and wherein the ripstop fabric exhibits a yarn per inch count in the warp direction in a range of between 223 to 233. The ripstop fabric preferably has an uncoated fabric weight range of between 23 and 40 GSM and a coated fabric weight range of between 29 and 50 GSM.

In yet another preferred embodiment, the present invention features a composite woven fabric comprising nylon yarn in a percentage ranging from 45% to 80% by weight in a woven fabric. The nylon yarn is configured for being woven along with at least one other yarn into the composite woven fabric. Also included in the composite fabric is polyester yarn in a percentage ranging from 20% to 60% by weight in the woven fabric. The polyester yarn is configured for being woven along with at least the nylon yarn into the composite woven fabric. The nylon yarn and the polyester yarn each exhibit a denier range of between 10 D to 50 D and the nylon yarn and the polyester yarn are woven together into a ripstop composite woven fabric.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of one embodiment of the composite nylon and polyester woven fabric according to the present invention illustrated in a double or twin ripstop pattern; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the composite nylon and polyester woven fabric according to the present invention also illustrated in a ripstop pattern.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention features a composite fabric of nylon and polyester that may be manufactured as a lightweight fabric allowing for use in manufacturing various products including, but not limited to, backpacking tents, and in which the composite fabric does not sag in the rain or humid environments as much as 100% nylon fabric and has excellent water repellency.

In a first preferred embodiment, the composite nylon and polyester woven fabric according to the present invention is woven in a double or twin ripstop pattern 10, FIG. 1 . The composite fabric is preferably manufactured from recycled polyester yarn 12 and recycled nylon yarn 14. The nylon yarn comprises between 40% and 80% and preferably between 46% and 79% by weight of the finished woven composite fabric while the polyester yarn comprises between 15% to 65% and more preferably between 21% to 55% by weight of the finished woven composite fabric.

In each preferred embodiment, the finished woven composite nylon and polyester fabric is designed and well-suited for lightweight backpacking fabrics typically less than 50 GSM, although this is not a limitation of the present invention as a higher weight range utilized for non-backpacking tents or other fabric uses could be in the range of up to 150 GSM.

Typically, the nylon and polyester yarns have a yarn denier range of between 10 D and 50 D although this is not a limitation of the present invention as yarns having a denier of up to 150 or more are contemplated by the present invention. Denier is a unit of measure of the linear density or weight based on the length and weight of a yarn or fiber. In the first preferred embodiment, the finished composite fabric is preferably woven as a double or twin ripstop pattern 10, FIG. 1 , on an air-jet or water-jet loom or a dobby loom, for example only without limiting the present invention.

Ripstop fabrics are woven fabrics using a reinforcing technique that makes them more resistant to tearing and ripping. In one embodiment as described in the first preferred embodiment herein and illustrated in FIG. 1 , during weaving, stronger and often thicker reinforcement yarns 12 made of polyester are interwoven at regular intervals in a crosshatch pattern. The intervals are typically 5 to 8 mm although in the preferred embodiment, the interval 16 between polyester yarns of 2 different patterns is approximately 3.5 mm while the interval between the double or twin ripstop pattern 18 is approximately 1 mm.

In the first embodiment of the present invention illustrated ion FIG. 1 , the polyester yarn 12 serves as the reinforcement yarn. The first embodiment of the present invention preferably uses the polyester yarn not only in a thicker interlocking thread pattern but also to feature it quite prominently visually so it can be seen and recognized from a distance. Advantages of ripstop fabrics are the favorable strength to weight ratio and the fact that small tears cannot easily propagate. In this first preferred embodiment, the polyester yarn 12 is woven into the nylon base yarn in both the warp and weft directions as shown in FIG. 1 . The fabric is woven in a typical “plain weave” format or method weaving one of the various yarns over and then under the other yarn.

In a second preferred embodiment 10A represented schematically in FIG. 2 , nylon yarn 14 is woven in only the warp direction 20, while the polyester yarn 12 is woven in the weft direction 22. The warp direction. 20 refers to the yarns that run the length of the fabric. This is also known as the machine direction because it is the direction the yarns run on the loom. It forms the longer dimension of the fabric and is the direction of the roll length. The second preferred embodiment results in a non-checkered pattern fabric without the visual impact of the first preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1 but with the same “ripstop” strength as that disclosed in the pattern shown in FIG. 1 .

The yarn density (weft) per inch in the finished woven composite fabric 10, FIG. 1 according to a first embodiment and the composite fabric 10A, FIG. 2 according to a second embodiment is in the range of 129 to 169 while the yarn density (warp) in the finished woven composite fabric 10/10A is in the range of 223 to 233 per inch. The fabric is typically woven in a width of 145 to 150 cm although this is not a limitation of the present invention.

In each case, both the nylon and polyester yarns are typically made from multifilaments. The filaments are entangled together in some manner and using techniques which are known in the art.

Once the finished composite fabrics 10 and 10A are woven, the fabrics, if desired, will be dyed to the desired color. The finished woven composite fabric includes a face side and a backside. Uncoated, the fabric has a weight range of between 23 to 40 GSM. Both sides are preferably coated. The face side is typically coated with a durable water repellent (DWR) and/or silicone coating which is responsible for the water repellency of the woven fabric 10. A polyurethane coating applied to the back side provides waterproofing for the fabric. Once coated, the fabric has a weight range of between 29 to 50 GSM.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a novel and nonobvious composite fabric utilizing nylon and polyester yarns to provide a lightweight composite fabric that, when woven in a ripstop pattern, exhibits superior strength and tear resistance while also providing low stretch and water repellency and waterproofness properties due to the fabrics themselves and the applied coatings.

As stated above, the present invention is not intended to be limited to a device or method which must satisfy one or more of any stated or implied objects or features of the invention and should not be limited to the preferred, exemplary, or primary embodiment(s) described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the allowed claims and their legal equivalents. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A composite woven fabric, comprising: nylon yarn in a predetermined percentage by weight in said composite woven fabric, said nylon yarn configured for being woven along with at least one other yarn into said composite woven fabric; polyester yarn in a predetermined percentage by weight in said composite woven fabric, said polyester yarn configured for being woven along with at least said nylon yarn into said composite woven fabric; wherein said nylon yarn and said polyester yarn each exhibit a predetermined denier range; and wherein said nylon yarn and said polyester yarns are woven together into a ripstop composite woven fabric.
 2. The composite woven fabric of claim 1, wherein both said nylon yarn and said polyester yarn are woven in both warp and weft directions of said composite woven fabric.
 3. The composite woven fabric of claim 1, wherein said nylon yarn is woven in the warp direction of said composite woven fabric and said polyester yarn is woven in said weft direction of said composite woven fabric.
 4. The composite woven fabric of claim 1, wherein said predetermined percentage in said composite woven fabric of said nylon yarn is between 40% to 80% by weight.
 5. The composite woven fabric of claim 1, wherein said predetermined percentage in said composite woven fabric of said polyester yarn is between 20% to 60% by weight.
 6. The composite woven fabric of claim 1, wherein said nylon yarn and said polyester yarn each exhibit a predetermined denier range of between 10 D and 50 D.
 7. The composite woven fabric of claim 1, wherein said ripstop composite woven fabric exhibits yarns per inch count in the weft direction in a range of between 129 to 169, and wherein said ripstop composite woven fabric exhibits yarns per inch count in the warp direction in a range of between 223 to
 233. 8. The composite woven fabric of claim 1, wherein said ripstop composite fabric is woven on one of an air-jet loom, a water-jet loom, and a dobby loom.
 9. The composite woven fabric of claim 1, wherein said ripstop composite woven fabric is coated on a face side and a back side of said ripstop composite woven fabric.
 10. The composite woven fabric of claim 9, wherein said face side of said ripstop composite woven fabric is coated with one or more of a durable water repellent (DWR) and silicone coating.
 11. The composite woven fabric of claim 9, wherein said ripstop composite woven fabric is coated on said back side with a polyurethane coating.
 12. The composite woven fabric of claim 9, wherein said face side of said ripstop composite woven fabric is coated with one or more of a durable water repellent (DWR) and silicone coating, and wherein said back side of said ripstop fabric is coated with a polyurethane coating.
 13. The composite woven fabric of claim 1, wherein said ripstop fabric has an uncoated fabric weight range of between 23 and 40 GSM.
 14. The composite woven fabric of claim 12, wherein said ripstop composite woven fabric has a coated fabric weight range of between 29 and 50 GSM.
 15. A composite woven fabric, comprising: nylon yarn in a percentage ranging from 40% to 80% by weight in a woven fabric, said nylon yarn configured for being woven along with at least one other yarn into said woven fabric; polyester yarn in a percentage ranging from 20% to 60% by weight in said woven fabric, said polyester yarn configured for being woven along with at least said nylon yarn into said woven fabric; wherein said nylon yarn and said polyester yarn are woven together into a ripstop fabric having a face side and a backside; and wherein said face side of said ripstop fabric is coated with one or more of a durable water repellent (DWR) and silicone coating, and wherein said back side of said ripstop fabric is coated with a polyurethane coating.
 16. The composite woven fabric of claim 15, wherein said nylon yarn and said polyester yarn each exhibit a denier range of between 10 D to 50 D.
 17. The composite woven fabric of claim 15, wherein said ripstop fabric exhibits a yarns per inch count in the weft direction in a range of between 129 to 169, and wherein said ripstop fabric exhibits a yarns per inch count in the warp direction in a range of between 223 to
 233. 18. The composite woven fabric of claim 15, wherein said ripstop fabric has an uncoated fabric weight range of between 23 and 40 GSM and a coated fabric weight range of between 29 and 50 GSM.
 19. A composite woven fabric, comprising: nylon yarn in a percentage ranging from 45% to 80% by weight in a woven fabric, said nylon yarn configured for being woven along with at least one other yarn into said composite woven fabric; polyester yarn in a percentage ranging from 20% to 60% by weight in said woven fabric, said polyester yarn configured for being woven along with at least said nylon yarn into said composite woven fabric; wherein said nylon yarn and said polyester yarn each exhibit a denier range of between 10 D to 50 D; and wherein said nylon yarn and said polyester yarn are woven together into a ripstop composite woven fabric. 